Crime and approval ratings

3:20pm Friday 4th April 2008

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Last week in Parliament we discussed policing in London, a debate called at my request.

With law and order a key question for Londoners, it was a good opportunity to examine the facts.

Overall, crime has fallen 19 per cent over the past five years. Metropolitan Police officer numbers are at a record number, 31,304, and 4,178 police community support officers (PCSOs) - more than 35,000 in total. This is the result of continued investment by the Government and Mayor of London, who plans an extra 1,000 officers in the next year.

In Barnet, we have 532 officers and 147 PCSOs, with Safer Neighbourhoods teams in every ward. They've been very effective. Within weeks of the start of the Burnt Oak team, for example, antisocial crime was cut by a third. As the team's size has increased - now a sergeant, two constables and six PCSOs - they can now cover longer hours, tailored by the team's sergeants to local needs.

It's a pity they don't get the support they should from Barnet Council in helping with their youth schemes. It's a disgrace. Barnet spends less on young people than anywhere else in the country.

The Mayor of London's £79million Youth Offer for young people's projects must not be squandered by the council but used effectively, for example, to bring Pavilion Way fields back into use.

The new Barnet Safer Transport team has also been effective, patrolling transport centres and bus routes, catching offenders, collecting intelligence and providing reassurance.

In Barnet, crime is down eight per cent so far this year, on top of a 16 per cent fall last year.

London-wide violent crime is down, with 19 per cent fewer murders, 22 per cent less gun crime, 18 per cent less knife crime, while incidents of GBH are down 10 per cent.

Violent crime is down in Barnet, too.

Of course there are always going to be problems. Locally, burglary has gone up over the year, compared to last year's significant reduction. But recent successes and new initiatives by officers are making real inroads into this serious crime.

Teenage murders hit the news, but the solution goes beyond just law and order. We have to identify and address the social and economic causes.

Above all, public confidence is the key. The most recent studies suggest that, especially with the Safer Neighbourhoods teams, public satisfaction with the Met's performance have improved. As the crime figures continue to go in the right direction, public confidence will, too.